Feedback: Lions fans finally get something to cheer about - Schwartz being fired

Dec. 31, 2013

Jim Schwartz of the Detroit Lions looks on during the fourth quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings on December 29, 2013 at Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated the Lions, 14-13. / Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

The Detroit Lions fired head coach Jim Schwartz on Monday. The move was long expected — and celebrated by many readers:

Gee, I watched most of the Lions games and somehow I missed Schwartz throwing 19 interceptions. I also missed him fumbling, missing tackles, missing blocks and dropping passes.

Oh, well, what do I know? If I owned the Lions, I would look at which players cost my team the most and fire the biggest culprit first. Let’s get a new quarterback.

James L. Terlecki

Grand Rapids

I’ll throw my hat in the ring. Never played football, never coached football. Sadly, I can’t be worse than the past few Lions coaches.

Ron Arnold

Via Freep.com

Finally, some good news out of Motown! Now, they need to find a coach who will insist that Stafford clean up his passing techniques or get out of town. A Bill Cowher or Tony Dungy type coach.

Paul Peterson

Via Freep.com

What coach worth anything would risk his reputation coming to a dysfunctional franchise like the Lions?

Tony Nacelewicz

Via Freep.com

I have zero faith in the organization. They needed to fire him, but I have no faith that they’ll hire the right candidate, and that’s from year upon year upon year of disappointment.

Dave Roberts

Via Freep.com

It’s funny that “some of the players want him back.” They sure didn’t play like it on Sunday. The Jets wanted Rex Ryan back, and played like it. The Chiefs played their backup against the Chargers and got a real effort. My Lions played like the JV team at my old high school. That was a pitiful way of saying, “We want someone back.”

Tyrone Billups

Via Freep.com

Thank you, Lions, and thank you, Jim Schwartz. Things did not work out as desired, but I believe Jim Schwartz can be a good head coach somewhere. I, for one, thank you for the positive thing you did for the Lions and wish you the best of luck. Now let’s find a good coaching staff that can take us to the big one. ... We have the talent on the team to do it.

Ray Teasdale

Via Freep.com

What positives did Schwartz do for the Lions? Getting a team to 8-8 on average isn’t an accomplishment, and he didn’t really do that either. One decent season he had, and that one should have been much better. He started 5-0 and went 5-6 in the second half (when the games meant more) and drew a New Orleans team that killed them. Schwartz hasn’t done anything positive for the Lions. Going 0-16 or 2-14 is actually harder to do than 8-8.

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Dave Roberts

Via Freep.com

I can argue six losses could have been wins with one play reversed. Also, how many dumb penalties cost the Lions games? How many questionable (at best, some would say stupid) coaching decisions? How many undisciplined plays? How many “we came out flat” games down the stretch?

Tom Waske

Via Freep.com

I lost respect for Schwartz with the pathetic handshake incident. It seems everything went down hill from there. This team is undisciplined, under-coached in certain areas. I am tired of hearing about all the individual statistics on Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. As a fan, I want to see wins. If it weren’t for some of Johnson spectacular catches, Stafford’s statistics would not be as high as they are. Now the question is whether the ownership of the Lions will get a proven winning management team, or is this going to be the same old thing, coach after coach? We can only pray.

Pat Cauchy

Via Freep.com

The Lions job is one of the top in the NFL. Established defense. Decent QB. Great reciever. Very good running back. The Lions need what Schwartz could not bring: discipline.